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| Trying not to look down here as if I fall here, I fall off the cliff |
From my ride here onwards, it is through mountain roads all the way. Most of them were tarmac, some smooth, some weren't and I was told there maybe some off road but I wasn't quite prepared for this - Riding right next to steep cliffs!
I can't deny it gave me some butterflies in the tummy as the thought of falling off was scary!
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| Jing Hong |
Even as I ride on an average of 8 hours a day, I’d take stops just to snap a picture of take a breather. Instead of just rushing through the journey despite a slightly tight timeline, I'd always try to stop and soak in the landscapes around, reminding myself that it's not everyday I get to see these in Singapore.
Traveled on the National Road G214 that runs 3,256KM in total, starting from Xining, passing through Jing Hong which would eventually lead all the way to Tibet region. But we're still quite far away from Tibet so let's enjoy the journey over.
Entered into a small town where we stopped by to have lunch.
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| #nofilter, I repeat, #NOFILTER |
I have been having local food so far at really local small restaurants, some of the dishes were ok, some my taste buds weren't quite used to. And I realize Chinese people here eat a lot of greens. Every time I sat down for a meal, I’d see at least three different kinds of vegetable served.
After seeing so much greenery traveling through the tea plantations, I'm seeing green on the table too. Too bad I'm not a fan of so-much veg.
After being filled, I rubbed my tummy and as I walked out of the restaurant, I noticed its signboard indicating their specialty of food and meat types offered: Goat, Beef, Chicken.. DOG.
No way! I did not just eat dog meat. DID NOT!!
Holding my gut in, I hurriedly ran back into the restaurant and anxiously asked my guide if we were served any unusual dish like dog meat.
"I NEED TO KNOW THE TRUTH!"
I emphasized.
He assured me that no dog meat or whatsoever was served, just normal beef with the greens.
"Confirm?
Double confirm?
Triple confirm?"
I asked repeatedly and he confirmed, as he doesn't eat them too.
Phew!
Ok no more stepping into restaurants that serve dog meat pleaseeee.
Continued riding through mountainous roads that is filled with many bends and corners.
They say “the fun isn’t around the corner, it’s at the corner”. But too much can be a little tiring, especially when there are many trucks to overtake which can be dangerous because you can only see that far at the corner.
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| Just chilling |
I’m not talking about ordinary four wheeler lorries but 10 –
12 wheel trailers. Sometimes they carry charcoal, sand, rocks that may fall off
on the way. They also don’t give way to small vehicles like motorcycles so I had to
be really careful.
Here in China, every human being and animal share the road. From humans in lorries, cars, motorcycles, tractors, to cows, horses, goats and chicken. So this chicken was trying to cross the road and I tried to dogde it, but it decided to u-turn and dash right into my front wheel.
I screamed in my helmet, but there was nothing I could do :(
I had to stop by the road side and remove it's head because it got stuck in between my engine.
No picrtures as it was a bit too gross.
After all that mountain bends and animal encounters, I got a little tired so I found a shady area, stopped safely by the side of the road and decided to take a short power nap. Yeap, just like that.
Freshen up myself with some off-road-riding-next-to-cliffs fun.
As I enter into Shuang Jiang, road conditions involve a mix of road and off road. Some areas are hardened mud with pot holes.
Riding in between valleys along the Lan Cang River, I noticed how brown the water is due to current picking up all the mud from beneath.
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| Trying to kiap the chicken head out |
Here in China, every human being and animal share the road. From humans in lorries, cars, motorcycles, tractors, to cows, horses, goats and chicken. So this chicken was trying to cross the road and I tried to dogde it, but it decided to u-turn and dash right into my front wheel.
I screamed in my helmet, but there was nothing I could do :(
I had to stop by the road side and remove it's head because it got stuck in between my engine.
No picrtures as it was a bit too gross.
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| Hobo moment #7 |
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| Can you spot me? |
As I enter into Shuang Jiang, road conditions involve a mix of road and off road. Some areas are hardened mud with pot holes.
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| Lan Cang River |
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| Into Shuang Jiang |
I realized people in China love to sound their horn. From big trailers,
to small cars. They horn for many reasons, or almost every reason. To say “Hi”,
“I’m coming up from behind you”, “Get out of the way”, “Let me passing
through” or “I just like to horn”.
Sometimes when the trailers sound their loud horns as they
pass me by, I get a big shock. Uh.
At the end of today's ride, it was time to refuel.
The average cost for my 11L tank was around
120RMB that could last me close to 400KM, and I refuelled with #93 all the way. This is why I love my fuel efficient bike.
Checked into the hotel and ah, it's time to rest.
[Singapore.Malaysia.Thailand.Laos.China]
[Mileage Clocked: 4,292KM]
[Weather/Temperature: Gloomy/23°C]
[Terrain: Road/Tarmac/Off Road/Pot Holes]
Next stop: Dali, China
[Singapore.Malaysia.Thailand.Laos.China]
[Mileage Clocked: 4,292KM]
[Weather/Temperature: Gloomy/23°C]
[Terrain: Road/Tarmac/Off Road/Pot Holes]
Next stop: Dali, China